Display post ID while writing (7 posts)

It might be easier for you in the long run if you wrote a plugin that did your citations for you. Perhaps there is one out there already?
Something like:
[[1]]blah blah I will reference this bit as "1"
...
So, as I said [cite 1]here[/cite], blah blah.
And your plugin, which would know the post's id, could replace [[x]] with
and [cite x]...[/cite] with ...
or whatever replacements fit your style.
You could look at existing plugins to see how others have implemented vaguely similar things. Cutter might be a good start.

In addition to Kafakesqui's tip, what could help you is the plugin called BÃ¶, which takes care of Footnotes -- if you are using Markdown to format your posts.
I use it and recommend it.
As with all Markdown formatting, you need to be careful, though, if you use the <!--More--> tag: The Footnotes that are to be visible on the front page have to be referenced above the tag.

I went to WP Wiki then looked at Live Journal etc but didn't really know what I was looking for so couldn't see if it was there! . . . the link to the code on WP Wiki doesn't work . . . The Bo and Markdown references are fine though

I noted that it was old, and I also noted that it was "unresolved" (ie still "open"). There first reason for my post. I looked up the links. There is no other way to tell whether they/it are/is helpful. The second reasaon I posted.

I assume your reply was meant to be helpful. I can't see how it actually is.

The point was/is that there is no way I can find to carry out a search here that only returns results framed in time let alone that are valid/current information.

What I was inferring (thinking it obvious) was that, if data here is to be kept ad infinitum, there is/will be a growing need, if the posts are to be a base knowledge resource rather than a chat room service, to effectively archive it ie file those parts of it away that are old and out of date. That way the accumulated mass of outdated data could be swept out leaving an area populated only by "current" information. Of course there are many ways to set up such a filing system.

Anyway, just an idea, but not prompted by being so stupid as to not notice a date stamp. Rather out of frustration with being unable to get the basic information I need here and spending a great deal of time looking.